Morocco based mystery

Julie and Fay have just arrived in Morocco when Fay goes missing. Julie is worried for her sister, then annoyed and then finds plenty to be scared about. The police don’t seem trustworthy, the consulate is winding down for the approaching public holiday, but Julie needs to do something, and when she finds herself being followed the tension rises.

Wonderful descriptions of Morocco, including Ouarzazate and Agadir, the food, the (mostly) friendly people, the markets and the countryside/desert. Reading this gave me plenty of “what would I do in that situation” thoughts, and the storyline was unnerving as Julie looks for Fay and tries to survive in hostile territory.

For me I found the suspense lacking and never found myself fully involved in what was going on. However the descriptions of Morocco (a place I have never visited) made this a memorable and interesting read, and make me think I would love to go on a tour of the villages and countryside (with a trustworthy guide!)

This would make a great film!

Sisters who love to travel get involved with more than they can manage, in a very different world. Great and fast moving suspense. I loved the descriptions of southern Morocco, amazing place.
Well written from a good author.

Two sisters travel together to Morocco for their yearly vacation. One leaves the hotel never to return.

Admittedly, when I first read the synopsis for this book, I was a bit turned off. I mean, it's been done already, right? No. Nope. I was wrong. This book, Disappeared, was like no other I've read before.

When Julie discovers that her sister is gone, she isn't worried at first. A note was left saying Faye would return the next day and Julie used the time to see a bit of Morocco on her own. During this alone time, we, the reader, were treated a beautifully written description of often over-looked areas of Morocco, often unseen hospitality of its people. Having many Muslims for friends, I know of their generosity, but it isn't often portrayed so beautifully as it was throughout this book. Make no mistake, however, as the book progresses Julie encounters much of the underbelly of the country as well. Sadly, there is unrest along the border with Algiers and has been for many years. With climate change and foreign intervention, the situation is worsening. There are hints of this as we find out what has happened to Faye. The perseverance of Julie, her refusal to give up even when the odds were against her were astounding. At times, perhaps, they seemed unbelievable, but I honestly believe we sell women and family short. I think most of would do more than we can imagine to save a loved one.

I loved this book, the writing, the gorgeous descriptions and atmosphere and, most of all, Julie's character. I would love to read more from this author and look forward to doing so.

I'm not going to lie. It was the cover that grabbed me before the blurb, even. I have always loved stories set in desolate regions or extreme weather: Alaska and Iceland to the Amazon rainforest and the Australian outback. Searing heat, freezing wind chill, I feel the "man vs. the elements" trope is a great basis for a story. So I requested this book even though I'd never heard of it or the author, Bonnar Spring.

The term "disappeared" in this plot is not just missing, it's if you are made to permanently disappear from the world, hidden and forgotten in some primitive cell or camp such as a POW. In this story Fay begs her sister Julie to accompany her to Morocco for a girls' trip, just like in the past when the two would pick up and go on impulsive trips before marriage and responsibilities weighed them down. The year that this takes place in is 2005, when there was political issues regarding Morocco's King and the people of the Western Sahara, and a dangerous border with Algeria. Obviously a strange choice for Fay to make for a fun trip.

Almost as soon as the "girls" arrive in Morocco, staying in a pleasant hotel and sampling the markets and their interesting wares and the delicious foods, Fay leaves a note with the concierge that tells Julie she has some private business to attend to for her new husband, Gil. She promises to be back in 2 days, but she doesn't return.

I'm going to stop there and let you decide if you'd like to read this type of story, no violence, no bedroom scenes, very little swearing, and yet not a cozy type of story at all. It's a tale that will describe the climate, the scenery, the foods, the colors, the scents, the citizens of Morocco from the town to the desert. This is a slow burn story here: no chases, no shooting, no murders. I wouldn't call it a thriller-- maybe a suspense though-- with an international adventure, and I certainly was intrigued enough to keep turning the pages to find out what actually happened to Fay. I enjoyed learning about a region that I haven't read about before. That is what will draw readers to this book, more so than even the plot. It's a chance to immerse yourself in a different culture and see it through their eyes. My only issue-- and it was kind of a big one-- is that I found it implausible that Julie would just take off after her sister, in areas where there is no phone service without contacting family in the U.S. And most of all, would an average person such as Fay take off with only her private agenda and attempt such a dangerous endeavor? But in the long run the plot was entertaining, the descriptions wonderful, and the implausibility could be overlooked.

This is a tense, very descriptive thriller of a woman and her missing sister in Morocco. You feel like you are there, all the colors, the heat, and the terror/desperation of her journey to find her. Very well written and worth the read4.5

I was constantly holding my breath while I read this book. I couldn’t tear myself away as I tore through the pages, reading furiously. What started out one way turned out to be something totally different, it was such a thrilling read. All the descriptions I felt like it was happening To me, instead of the characters. It reminded me Of watching the movie Argos in theater years ago.
Julie was ingenious. She and Fay were a great duo and deserve a simple vacation.
I’d like to think I would be quick on my feet if I had been in a similar situation, but more likely I would have been a blubbering mess.
Great breathtaking read!!

This book got better the further I read. Initially I wasn’t sure where this story was leading, but it was full of surprises. A clever portrayal of the disappearance of a family who were considered enemies of the state in Morocco. Two sisters from the US travel to Morocco for what should be a relaxing holiday of sightseeing: not so, although they see more sights than they bargained for. The initial ‘disappearance’ is that of one of the sisters, but this is misleading as the reader will discover it refers to the more general term describing victims imprisoned out of sight. Escape and survival are at the forefront of the ladies’ minds. Easy and compulsive reading particularly as the tension mounts.

An interesting read which recaptures personal memories of travelling around Morocco. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5*

I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I chose this book because it takes place in Morrocco. I did learn a little bit about the country and its people and I enjoyed the fast-paced read. However, I found the part of the story when Julie is left behind in the desert and has to find her way to her sister, despite not knowing where she was, spraining her ankle in the process, and crawling over sand and mountains, a bit unbelievable. The story is supposed to be fictional, but not completely beyond belief. The story carried me to the end, though, with its exciting conclusion.

I love the plot of two people going on vacation and one disappears. In this case, it was two sisters traveling to Morrocco when one of them disappears. The sister behind struggles with the language, the culture and customs and has no idea where to start looking.

Then part-way into the book we discover that the sister had an ulterior motive for choosing Morrocco, which complicates things. On the plus side, it is not a random kidnapping. However, what in the world is she up to??

The descriptions of the country were amazing. I swear I was hot and thirsty just reading this book. I could completely visualize this world.

I thought the story was really interesting, and something different. I read the whole thing in a day and really wanted to know what was going to happen next.

All that praise aside, I did feel like a little something was missing. I didn't get that "connect" with any of the characters. If my emotions had been pulled in, this would have been a 5 star book for sure! However, this is more of a 4 star book for me.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This an Intriguing read that kept me interested until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing me with this book for an honest review.

I found this book fast paced and enjoyable. The characters were interesting and with the story being set in Morocco it brings in cultural elements that added an interesting complexity to them.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect based on the cover of the book, but read it quite quickly and really got into the storylines. But, I would never have predicted the way the story went.

This book will be available on May 3rd, 2022.

This book was sent to me electronically for review by Netgalley. The story of two sisters...deceit...love and friendship...mystery and intrigue...what a journey this author has taken the sisters on and the reader. Imagine not finding your relative and wondering where she is...looking for her...treacherous activities...frightening...no one to help on foreign soil...try this book...it is intriguing.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Oceanview Publishing and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Suspenseful, intriguing read with twists you won’t see coming.

A heart-racing, page-turning tour de force! Two sisters travel to Morocco and one disappears. Families are complicated, indeed they are. When in the face of danger, could you find the courage to kick sand in the face of the lion? I loved this book so much and finished it in a day. I had the privilege of traveling around Morocco with my best friend in 2018 and visited many of the places in this book (and more!) The author's beautifully descriptive and flowing prose transported me back this wonderfully enigmatic country, this time from the comfort and safety of my cozy couch.

Hmmmm I'm not sure about this book? It was very very interesting, and is definitely worth reading! It had suspense, intrigue, action, and some crazy heart pounding moments! Its not really my type of book but I am very glad I stuck with it and read this book! Its really different than anything I've ever read! Its very um I guess truthful? Like this could really happen! There were some very scary moments! I will definitely recommend this book! Its well worth reading! It was just different for me! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!